


Thank Me Later

by Theo-Sev (Sevv7)



Category: RWBY
Genre: M/M, Minor Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, RWBY ships Ironqrow, Set sometime in V7, Team Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2019-12-06
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:27:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21698467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sevv7/pseuds/Theo-Sev
Summary: Weiss is sick of watching Qrow and General Ironwood acting like lovesick fools around each other. Winter has warned her to stay out of it and Weiss has really tried. But it's really starting to get out of hand, and Weiss knows if she doesn't say anything, no one else will.Time for her to roll up her sleeves and sort this out once and for all. Maybe she should have waited until the rest of team RWBY had left the room. Yeah, she should definitely have waited...
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood
Comments: 10
Kudos: 142





	Thank Me Later

Weiss hoped the debriefing was nearly over. It was the end of yet another long day down in Mantle, taxing both physically and emotionally, and all she wanted right now was a hot drink, a blanket, and time to see her big sister.

They were sat in one of the smaller meetings rooms of the academy. The whole of team RWBY were squished tightly onto one sofa, with Qrow perched on the arm closest to Weiss. Team JNR had been similarly seated across from them, up until about ten minutes ago, when Jaune had made their apologies on account of Nora’s soft snoring as she nodded off between her teammates. General Ironwood was standing, pacing around with a nervous energy as he had listened at length to the reports from both teams, and then calming down a little as he assimilated the information with what they’d already learnt, and shared the progress of his other projects back with them.

Weiss disguised a yawn behind her hand, careful to ensure General Ironwood wasn’t looking in her direction. Usually she would have felt guilty to zone out of a meeting like this, but the General had gone off on a tangent a few minutes ago as he tried to draw the meeting to a close, so she didn’t feel especially bad.

Glancing around the room, Weiss noted her teammates all looked as tired and distracted as she did. Yang’s head lolled to one side slightly, just shy of leaning against Blake’s, while Ruby fidgeted idly with her new hairstyle, pulling a lock of hair straight down and then letting it go to watch it bounce back up out of the corner of her eye.

Only Qrow really seemed to be paying attention to General Ironwood. And wasn’t that a surprise. Weiss didn’t have to be an expert at people to notice how his whole body turned to follow General Ironwool as he paced around the room, or how he smiled slightly to himself when General Ironwood spoke his name, or how wide his eyes went when General Ironwood told him he’d performed admirably that day. No, it was far too obvious to miss. She was sure that by now even _General Ironwood_ had to have noticed.

Except, he clearly hadn’t.

And to make matters even worse, Weiss had caught him making just the same faces at Qrow when he thought no one was looking. He was a military _General,_ for Brother’s sake. A whole country hung on his every decision - _her_ country, no less. And yet here he was, too afraid of rejection that he’d rather keep over a decades worth of love hidden from a man who quite clearly would be overjoyed at the fact.

Weiss resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She was _trying_ to stay out of it, she really was. Winter had told her it was none of their business; that General Ironwood would say something when he was ready and it was not Weiss’s - nor anyone else’s - place to decide when that should be.

Weiss had agreed, at the time. But that had been before the long weeks of seeing them acting like this _every time_ they were around each other.

“And so… I think that brings us all up to speed… for today.” Weiss looked up, hooking back onto what General Ironwood was saying when she sensed he was about at the end of his rambling.

“Thank you General Ironwood,” Ruby chirped.

“I suppose I’ll… leave then,” the General paused awkwardly and he made a half-hearted attempt at straightening his tie with nervous fingers.

Weiss resisted the urge to lean over and elbow Qrow in the ribs.

“Uh… okay.” Ruby flashed a confused smile. “Bye!”

General Ironwood made it as far as the door before he turned back again. Weiss could see the flash of uncertainty in his eyes as he looked directly at Qrow. He pursed his lips and then opened his mouth, and for a moment she wondered if he was actually just going to say something. But then Qrow fidgeted beside her and broke the eye contact, and James exhaled slowly and finally left.

Weiss made up her mind. Something needed to be done about these two, and if she was the only one willing to do it then fine. She would.

She waited until the door swung fully shut, announcing the General was out of earshot, before scrambling up off the sofa with new found energy reserves.

“You!” she declared, pointing an accusatory finger at Qrow and noticing Ruby frown in confusion.

Qrow cocked his head slightly and raised an eyebrow, but otherwise didn’t react.

“You are in love with the General!” she stated.

Qrow flinched visibly and spluttered, but whatever he was saying was cut off by the dual sounds of Yang’s howl of laughter and Ruby’s gasp.

“Oh man. She’s right, isn’t she,” Yang cackled, leaning her forehead on Blake’s shoulder for support as she clutched her stomach. “How did I not see this! How?” She wiped tears of mirth from her eyes, still muttering words under her breath about how oblivious she had been.

“I. It’s not. It’s…” Qrow spoke with a tight voice. Defensive. Weiss wondered why; they were practically family, why didn’t he want them to know?

“Don’t be like that,” she told him, “I am _trying_ to help you.”

“H-help?”

Weiss didn't know whether to be offended by his surprise.

“Yes, you dolt. If you’d just let me speak.”

“Wait - wait!” chimed in Ruby, “can we go back to the part where Uncle Qrow was in love with General Ironwood?” Confusion was plastered over her face.

Weiss tapped her foot impatiently but nodded her acquiescence. “Yes, Ruby. Your Uncle Qrow,” she motioned to Qrow, “is sickeningly, head over heels in love, with-”

“General Ironwood!” finished Yang, busting into fresh laughter.

“Uncle Qrow?” Ruby asked, voice unsure.

“Well…” Qrow looked around with wild eyes. Weiss had backed him into a corner, she knew he wouldn’t lie directly to their faces. She had to admire her genius at times.

“How is this news?” Blake stepped in, saving Qrow from admission. “I thought everyone knew? No? Oh, maybe it was just me,” she shrugged as everyone directed their bewildered faces in her direction. “What? I guess I just notice these things. Sorry. I didn’t realise it was _a thing_.” She shrugged again, smiling slightly as she caught Yang’s open mouthed face.

Weiss sighed internally - she did not have the time right now to explain to Blake how ironic what she had just said was. That was a revelation for another day.

Brothers, did she have to sort everyone’s relationships?

“Can you all please just listen to me,” she asked imperiously, projecting her voice using all of her training as a Schnee heiress.

The room fell suddenly silent. Weiss would congratulate herself for that later.

“Ruby: yes, your Uncle and the General, it’s not that surprising. Yang: can you please stop laughing. This is a serious matter and I am trying to fix it and every time you laugh your Uncle turns an even brighter shade of pink. And Blake,” Weiss smiled here, “excellent observation. I knew I wasn’t the only one to notice, although how you thought _they_ were aware of it is beyond me. The pining is getting out of hand.” Qrow made a strangled choking sound but Weiss refused to acknowledge it. Yang bit her lip to stifle another giggle.

“General Ironwood. Huh,” Ruby said, nodding her head slowly and peering at Qrow. “Why haven’t you spoken to him about it?”

“What? Are you crazy… Just stop. No. We’re not having this conversation.” Qrow stood up.

Weiss gave a long suffering sigh. “Did I say I was done? Sit back down.”

“What. No. I don’t have to do what you…”

“ _Sit!_ ”

Qrow sat.

“Thank you,” she smiled sweetly, “now. I think I can help. Don’t roll your eyes at me Qrow! I think I can help because I know something you don’t,” she paused, for effect. So Weiss tended a little towards the dramatic, so what?

Qrow had leaned forward slightly, despite himself. His eyes were narrowed but his mouth was ever so slightly open. Brothers, this man needed her help.

“General Ironwood is in love with you too,” she finished, simply.

Qrow’s mouth dropped. “What? That can’t be right… Don’t be ridiculous.” His hands came up to his face, trying to disguise the way he had lit up with hope at Weiss’s words.

“It’s the truth. Look, I wasn’t wrong about _you_ was I?” Weiss folded her arms and looked pointedly at him.

Qrow fidgeted uncomfortably under her gaze, wiggling his shoulders as he tried to twist away from her. When his voice came, it was hoarse. “No,” he mumbled.

Yang’s grin softened at Qrow’s reply; Weiss noticed her hand reaching for Blake’s, fingered intertwining and gripping each other tightly.

Ruby reached up to pat Qrow’s shoulder gently, looking to Weiss to continue.

Weiss just shrugged. “Well it’s sorted then, isn’t it. You love him. He loves you.”

Qrow just gaped at her, unable to process.

“Oh really? You need me to tell _him_ too?” Winter would disapprove. Winter _always_ disapproved.

But Weiss could deal with it if that’s what it took to sort this out. An argument was already forming in her mind that helping the General was tantamount to helping Atlas. Winter might understand if she presented it that way…

“No! No it’s okay. I… Are you really sure?” asked Qrow.

“Of course I’m sure. But fine, check with Blake. Or Winter.” She bit her lip, she hadn’t meant to involve Winter so directly. But it _did_ strengthen her case.

Qrow fell quiet as the four girls stared at him, watching to see how he’d react. In hindsight, Weiss wondered if the conversation would have gone more smoothly had she waited until her teammates had left.

“It’s true,” Blake volunteered, breaking the uneasy silence.

Yang shifted against her. “Yeah… now you’ve said it, I think I see it?”

“He did seem to take his timing leaving just now,” said Ruby, “I thought he was just lonely.”

Yang snickered. Weiss shot her a warning look.

“So, Qrow,” Weiss turned to address him again, “will you _please_ talk to the General about this now?”

Qrow’s eyes darted around the room and he curled into himself just a little more. “Yes,” he croaked, “I’ll talk to him.”

“Talk to who?”

Weiss froze as General Ironwood’s voice sounded from the doorway.

“Aaaand I think that’s our cue to leave,” said Yang, pushing herself up off the chair and pulling Blake along with her.

Ruby stood and followed them both to the door. “Good luck Uncle Qrow!” she said softly.

General Ironwood frowned curiously, following Ruby’s gaze to Qrow, and Weiss watched Qrow’s face colour.

“Hopeless,” she tutted under her breath.

“Miss Schnee?” the General inquired politely.

Weiss flashed him a beatific smile as she passed him in the doorway. “You can thank me later,” she called cryptically.

And they would. Because she deserved it.

Weiss congratulated herself on a job well done. Hopefully once Qrow and the General had had their talk, things between them would be smoothed out once and for all and she wouldn’t have to deal with their constant side glances and yearning looks anymore.

“James…” she heard Qrow say behind her.

Weiss pulled the door shut behind her to give them their privacy. Let them have this moment.

There would be plenty of time for her to rub it in later.

And she would.

**Author's Note:**

> Weiss is an absolute joy to write. I am really happy how her voice came through in this oneshot. I know it's not super serious, but I hope it's at least a fun take.
> 
> It was borne from my musings of Weiss becoming aware of Ironqrow, and the rest of team RWBY reacting as follows:  
> Yang - finds the whole thing hilarious  
> Ruby - is shocked, Uncle Qrow has romantic feelings, say what?  
> Blake - is confused, was Ironqrow not already a thing, did other people not know about it?
> 
> Thanks for reading and I hope people enjoy it! (Comments make me smile like an absolute idiot) <3


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